Section
Plant Databases
Side-by-side coverage audits of the major tracking apps' plant-food databases. The same food can show up in five different trackers with five different micronutrient profiles. These audits explain why, and what to look for when picking a tracker for plant-based work.
- Database audit
USDA FoodData Central plant-foods coverage: what it has and what it lacks
The USDA's FoodData Central is the canonical reference database for North American food composition. Coverage of plant foods is broadly excellent for macros and most micronutrients but uneven for iodine, selenium soil-variable items, and sea vegetables. Tracker apps that source from FDC inherit both the strengths and the gaps.
- Database audit
Nutritional yeast database coverage: fortified vs unfortified across major brands
Nutritional yeast B12 content varies by brand and by fortified-vs-unfortified status, with a range from near-zero to 24 mcg per tablespoon. Database conflation of fortified and unfortified entries is the single most-dangerous failure mode for plant-based B12 tracking.
- Database audit
Mock-meat database coverage: Beyond, Impossible, Field Roast, Tofurky, Lightlife
We audited 10 mock-meat SKUs across five tracker apps. PlateLens covered 10 of 10 with iron and B12 fortification matching package values. Cronometer covered 9 of 10. MyFitnessPal had iron values wrong on 5 of 10 SKUs and B12 wrong on 6 of 10 on the top search hit, the worst category in our audit.
- Database audit
Plant milk database audit: 12 brands across five tracker apps
We audited 12 branded plant milks against five tracker databases for B12, vitamin D, and calcium fortification accuracy. PlateLens leads on freshness with 11 of 12 brands within 5 percent of package values. Cronometer is comparable on USDA-curated entries but lags on the most recent reformulations. MyFitnessPal user-submitted entries had B12 disagreeing across entries by more than an order of magnitude on multiple brands.
- Database audit
Tofu and tempeh database coverage: comparing five tracking apps on plant-protein staples
We audited five tracker databases against 8 tofu varieties (calcium-set firm, calcium-set extra-firm, calcium-set silken, nigari-set firm, nigari-set silken, smoked, baked, sprouted) and 4 tempeh forms. PlateLens leads with 8 of 8 tofu varieties recognized including the calcium-set vs nigari-set distinction. Cronometer covers 6. MyFitnessPal entry quality is unreliable on coagulant specification.